Ginger Around The Worldhttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com
Ginger Around The World is a travel blogger based in Dubai. Writing about my adventures and ways to travel cheap. Inspiring you to travel the world on a budget.Mon, 03 Dec 2018 14:17:34 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.1The Sanya Travel Guide – 3 fun things you can’t miss!http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/the-sanya-travel-guide-3-fun-things-you-cant-miss/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/the-sanya-travel-guide-3-fun-things-you-cant-miss/#respondSat, 01 Dec 2018 05:05:02 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2482White-sand beaches, azure blue water and green hills? Maybe not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about China? Well one of things I love about traveling is that it debunks myths. Welcome to Sanya in Hainan, often referred to as the Hawaii of China. I traveled here for the weekend and […]

]]>White-sand beaches, azure blue water and green hills? Maybe not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about China? Well one of things I love about traveling is that it debunks myths. Welcome to Sanya in Hainan, often referred to as the Hawaii of China.

I traveled here for the weekend and even If you are not a beach bum there are many fun things to do. Here is my Sanya travel guide with 3 things you can’t miss.

Rosewood Sanya

Sunsets by a double infinity pool overlooking the ocean. Oh yes I totally love rooftop bars. Sipping a cocktail on the 13th floor of Rosewood Sanya while enjoy the mesmerizing views is something for the bucket list

And if you wonder what the view was like when I turned 180 degrees, not bad either:

By the way hotel prices in Sanya are quite cheap! I checked the rates per night and it’s about 140 usd which is at least half of what you would pay in for example Singapore for so much luxury.

Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park

Vertigo is your best friend in the next attraction. Walk over a swinging rope bridge or look down while shuffling over glass platforms, it’s all possible in this tropical park.

I actually had to queue to be able to go on the rope bridge and it was actually quite adventures just because the amount of people who were on the bridge at the same time.

That tiny thing down there is the same bridge. This gives you an idea of how massive this park is

You also have to be aware that some parts of the park are pure wedding madness. Couples, brides wearing their long white dress (how did they get up here like that, there must be changing rooms) are lining up to take pictures. A slightly unexpected site in tropical forest.

Another interesting topic is transport. Don’t worry about walking! There are like a hundred yellow hop on hop off buses that bring you around in the giant park to all the main attractions. It’s all included in your entrance fee. Tourism here is very organized and at a different scale (read massive amounts of people).

Entrance fee: RMB 170 per adult (peak season); RMB 150 per adult (off season)
– Free entry for children under 1.2 meters in height and below 6 years old
– RMB 115 for children from 1.2 to 1.4 meters in height and seniors aged 60 to 69
– RMB 50 for the handicapped and seniors aged 70 or above
Note: Peak season: from October 1st to April 30th
Off season: From May 1st to September 30th

White-sand beaches and blue water at Wuzhizhou Island

Time to mingle with many other Chinese tourists and explore a small island. Hop on a 15 minute boat ride to Wuzhizhou island.

This island is interesting. It’s some kind of tropical island theme park where one of the activities is wave surfing – on a fake wave.

If you are more of a thrill seeker you can also take a helicopter ride! For the foodies there is also Matcha ice cream made by a robot

If you are looking for an empty island to have a peaceful moment then this is not the right attraction for you. I thought it was very interesting nevertheless to mingle with all the Chinese tourists and see what it is all about.

Luhuitou Park

For some nice city views during sunset, hike to the top of Luhuitou Park. You will see a massive statue with an interesting story behind it. It goes something like this. A guy was hunting a deer for 9 days and 9 nights. Eventually the deer reached the coast and there was no way out. Ready to shoot his arrow, the deer suddenly transformed into a smoking hot girl and the guy fell in love and they lived happily ever after. That also explains the name of the park “Luhuitou”, deer turning its head back.

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/the-sanya-travel-guide-3-fun-things-you-cant-miss/feed/0Detailed Video review of Juneyao’s new Business Classhttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/detailed-video-review-of-juneyaos-new-business-class/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/detailed-video-review-of-juneyaos-new-business-class/#respondSat, 17 Nov 2018 07:01:10 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2477I hope you enjoyed my article about flying Juneyao’s new Business Class on the dreamliner b787, now I also uploaded a full video review on my youtube channel. Enjoy! Don’t forget to like and subscribe to my channel if you enjoyed it 😉

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/detailed-video-review-of-juneyaos-new-business-class/feed/0Flying Juneyao Business Class on the new Dreamliner in a Full Flat Bedhttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/flying-juneyao-business-class-on-the-new-dreamliner-in-a-full-flat-bed/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/flying-juneyao-business-class-on-the-new-dreamliner-in-a-full-flat-bed/#respondTue, 06 Nov 2018 17:35:31 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2409Juneyao airlines 吉祥航空 received it’s first dreamliner boeing 787-9 and I was the first avgeek to fly it in business class! (not sponsored, more on how I booked it below) And with some ambient dreamliner cabin light on, I could get this wonderful view 🙂 Chilling in a full flat bed in a 2 weeks […]

]]>Juneyao airlines 吉祥航空 received it’s first dreamliner boeing 787-9 and I was the first avgeek to fly it in business class! (not sponsored, more on how I booked it below)

And with some ambient dreamliner cabin light on, I could get this wonderful view

Chilling in a full flat bed in a 2 weeks old airplane is always fun but I also worked hard and took loads of pictures to be able to share a proper review with you guys

Let’s talk about the seat

As I have just flown Singapore Airlines double First class suites I am a bit spoiled but I was still impressed with Juneyao’s new dreamliner seats! All seats have aisle access and that’s simply a must for real business class in my opinion. For the geeks, it’s a 1-2-1 configuration with 180-degree lie-flat Thompson Vantage XL seats.

The footrest of each seat is alternating left and right on each row. Ideally you choose a seat as close to the window as possible to have maximum privacy (like in the picture below)

The seat itself is not a throne but still nice and comfy. To find the ideal position I played around with the different buttons to transform the seat into a lounge chair and a full flat bed. Nothing beats watching a movie with a glass of wine at cruising altitude.

All those slick buttons put a smile on my face. After adjusting the seat position and the multi functional light source I discover the coolest function. Do you see that icon below the light? Yeah that’s right, there is even a gentle massage button. Boom! bye bye stress.

Let’s concentrate on some other areas of this seat. What about the mirror for example, check the flower pattern, the attention to detail is just amazing. Kudos to the designers of this seat!
Interesting fact: the flower is the “Chinese Peony”, the national flower of China which symbolizes grace and elegance.

And here is another angle to get an idea about all the other seat functionalities.

Next to the mesmerizing mirror there is an Evian bottle of water to keep you hydrated, a headset, a remote control, an audio plug, usb and power socket.

Oh for those who are not familiar with dreamliner, there are no window shades but fancy Instagram-like filter buttons below the windows to darken or lighten your view on the outside world.

Juneyao In Flight Entertainment

No complaints about the screen and the headset. Although I can’t spot any brand like Bose or B&O it does the job and the audio quality is perfectly alright.

For this less than 2 hour flight there was definitely an overload of entertainment. On a 12 hour flight it might be a bit boring for a frequent flyer however. Still there is a good variety of movies, series, documentaries, games etc. And a nice touch for non Chinese speaking travelers: there are also Hollywood and International options available next to the Chinese movies. Talking about Chinese movies, I have seen some epic movies while living in China so make sure to try that Chinese section! Juneyao is going to be a competitor on the route to Finland from June next year so it’s very smart to target passengers from all nationalities.

One of the things I tested as a digital nomad is the responsiveness of the touch screen and I have to say it’s sweet. I have been swiping quite a bit and movies always followed my finger so that’s pretty cool. Long gone are the days you have to poke the screen – and annoy the passenger in front of you – to play a movie in the sky.

Well and even If you are not a touch screen fan then you can still use the remote control to enjoy a popcorn moment. (there is no popcorn on board, but thinking about it, that would be freaking awesome right!?)

Is this picture a bit too dark for you? Well, guess what, I took a few more pictures to show you how the remote control looks by day light. The crew must have been thinking I was going crazy with the amount of filming and photo’s I was taking.

Now that you have seen the remote control from all angels, it’s time to jump to the next topic.

Juneyao’s full flat bed + awesome pillow!

How could I not talk about this pillow? Honestly, I think it’s one of my first flights I see and feel such a proper thick pillow. The purple pinkish and gold Peony flower design matches perfectly with the rest of the seat. And most importantly it’s a really comfy head rest when you are in full flat bed mode.

I don’t care if it’s just a 2 hour flight, I need to try the bed

If you wonder if there is enough space to stretch your legs. Well I am pretty tall (1m 85cm) and this is a picture of me stretching.

To get a better idea it’s good to see some more angles, check that space. (don’t read this post if you are flying economy at this moment)

What’s the food like in Business Class?

Time to be completely honest. I was a bit disappointed on the afternoon flight form Shanghai to Shenzhen, there was no food & drinks menu and in the end I got some fruits, cake and small sandwich with butter. But this was only Juneyao’s first week on the dreamliner so I gave them a second chance on the return flight, 2 days later in the evening.

And to my surprise there was a menu! It’s as if they read my comments on social media! Things move fast in China! It’s just stupid simple but giving a menu makes a huge difference in impression. And I even had 2 meal options to choose from. The only thing I missed on the drinks menu was sparkling wine or Champagne, that’s always a nice extra touch in Business Class for me. First World problems. On the other hand there are quite some tea options that would be hard to find on western airlines.

It’s always nice to show the passengers some love.

This is what the light meal menu looks like: “fish or chicken?” but in a more fancy way.

And here is the drinks menu, check all those teas and juices.

Is there an amenity kit?

On both of my less than 2 hours flights I got

a blanket

slippers

eye cover

Here you can see the slippers, I nicely presented them on the table (which can be stowed if you don’t need it)

And here is a shot of the eye cover package.

The safety card

This one is just for the avgeeks reading this post:

If you don’t get excited by these kind of pictures, don’t worry, I will be talking about the onboard service soon.

How is the service on board Juneyao?

Again there was a lot of improvement on my return flight compared to my initial flight. On my return flight from Shenzhen to Shanghai the crew asked if I wanted another glass of juice. These things sound really stupid but that’s really what makes the difference. Business class service is about paying attention to little things like a passenger’s empty glass and walking around with a genuine smile, making the job seem effortless (although we all know it’s very hard work). Again I am spoiled having just flown one of the world’s best Business & First Class products in the world on Singapore Airlines. Nevertheless I always like to share this feedback as enhancing the personal service does not cost anything but can make a huge difference in the travelers’ experience.

But I was really impressed to see improvements in just 2 days and I am sure that if Juneyao continues like this that their service will be up to speed with their new epic product very soon. Also remember that this was only the second week flying their first dreamliner.

On the way back I asked if I could take a picture with the crew. The pilot was kind enough to do so and I congratulated all the crew members with their fantastic new product and wished them good luck on the new adventures with the dreamliner.

How and why did I book this flight?

I flew Juneyao last year on a domestic trip in China and before that I never even heard of them to be honest. A few weeks ago I saw massive ads in a Shanghai metro station and as an aviation geek I was intrigued to see such nice business class seats on those posters.

After some research I managed to find out on which routes this new airplane would be used. And I took a chance and booked a return trip.

HO1111 SHA0735 – 1005SZX 787 D
HO1201 SHA1455 – 1735SZX 787 D

HO1112 SZX1120 – 1340SHA 787 D
HO1202 SZX1900 – 2115SHA 787 D

It’s always exciting as you never really know for sure if the new airplane will already be in use but I got lucky twice on the route between Shanghai Hongqiao and Shenzhen Bao’an.

How much did it cost?

Good news, if you don’t want to break the bank and still experience business class once in your lifetime then the Shanghai – Shenzhen route is perfect for you!
For just $100 USD more than economy you can try Business class! Just make sure to only book the flight times mentioned above so you have the dreamliner airplane with full flat beds!

From $248 usd you can try business class and that’s an epic deal for a full flat bed! Seriously.

The Juneyao Business Class Review Summary

Travelers who don’t know Juneyao will know about them once they fly long haul routes to China. In the next months they will receive a few more dreamliners for domestic routes between Shanghai – Sanya, Chengdu and Chongqing. Next year there are flights planned to Helsinki and who knows what’s next? Having proper full flat beds in the sky will certainly help to sell. There is still room for improvement on the service side. But I have seen it evolving in a good way in just 2 days so I hope the service raises to the same level as their new dreamliner and then Juneyao will be a major competitor on long haul routes. So remember this name for the future!

Just 2 hours is too short for a proper Business class review but I feel this airline has a lot of potential. Juneyao will certainly be on my list once they fly this dreamliner to Europe.

Let me know if you have any questions?

If you guys have any questions about Juneyao or flying Business or First Class just leave a comment and I will be happy to answer

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/flying-juneyao-business-class-on-the-new-dreamliner-in-a-full-flat-bed/feed/0How To Fly Singapore Airlines First Class to Shanghai for $34 + Using 72 hour China visa Free Transithttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/how-to-fly-singapore-airlines-first-class-to-shanghai-for-34-using-72-hour-china-visa-free-transit/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/how-to-fly-singapore-airlines-first-class-to-shanghai-for-34-using-72-hour-china-visa-free-transit/#commentsThu, 25 Oct 2018 16:35:26 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2391In my last post I shared my amazing experience in the new Singapore Airlines First Class suites. You can also check my YouTube Channel if you like to see what it is like to sleep in a double bed at 33,000 feet. Today I want to share how I got this First Class flight using Kris […]

How much does Singapore Airlines new First Class cost?

If you have cash lying around then you can just pay 4,067 SGD or about $2,900 USD for a one way ticket from Singapore to Shanghai. But read on if you want to book it for just $34 USD and some miles.

How much miles do you need?

Usually this First Class flight from SIN to PVG would set you back 95,000 miles but I discovered that the saver award is only 50,000 miles + $34 USD. So I waited patiently until I found flight with saver availability. This is pretty cool because my 95,000 miles could get me the new First Class (50,000 miles saver) and also the new Business class (35,000 miles saver + $12 USD) and still have some miles left.

How to collect your points and miles?

There are many options to collect 50,000 KrisFlyer miles. One way is to book hotels on rocketmiles or kaligo, for each booking you will get miles which you can transfer to many airlines and Singapore Airlines is one of them!
Flying Singapore Airlines all the time is another way. Or you can even get a credit card (ideally with signup bonus) and transfer those points to the KrisFlyer program. I used Citi Thank You points but you can also use SPG points for example. The advantage of using SPG is that you get 5.000 free miles for every 20,000 SPG points you transfer to miles. This means that you only need to transfer 40,000 SPG points to KrisFlyer and you will get 10,000 Kris Flyer miles as a bonus!

How to find the flights with the new First Class?

Once you collected all the points you want to make sure you book the correct airplane. Otherwise you will end up in the old First Class product which is still great but it’s not our goal here. There are 4 flights from Singapore to Shanghai and only one is on the new A380. So before I booked I read blogs like one mile at a time and mainly miles to make sure which flight numbers offer the new First Class. At the moment SQ830 and SQ833 are the 2 flights between Singapore and Shanghai that offer the new First Class.

Is this flight long enough to experience First Class?

I flew from Singapore to Shanghai which is about 5 hours 25 minute flight time. You can also try to fly from Singapore to Hong Kong but that’s only 4 hours which seems a bit short to enjoy all the First Class goodness.

In my opinion this 5 hour flight is long enough to experience all First Class services. It’s one big wave of exciting events from start to end. For the best experience and a good sleep in the double bed it’s better to opt for a 12 hour flight though.

Video tutorial on how to Fly First Class

Use the 72 hour visa free entry to China

Recently there is a new 72 visa free transit option in China. So if you book a flight from country A to China and then from China to country B then you don’t even need a visa! All details and eligible nationalities can be found on the link below:https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/how-to-fly-singapore-airlines-first-class-to-shanghai-for-34-using-72-hour-china-visa-free-transit/feed/1You want to Fly in this luxurious double bed First Class Suite to Shanghai on Singapore Airlineshttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/you-want-to-fly-in-this-luxurious-double-bed-first-class-suite-to-shanghai-on-singapore-airlines/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/you-want-to-fly-in-this-luxurious-double-bed-first-class-suite-to-shanghai-on-singapore-airlines/#respondSat, 20 Oct 2018 13:37:42 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2335I just landed but I am still dreaming! A double bed, champagne, it’s what flying looks like in your wildest dreams when you are napping in a tiny economy seat. But on my Singapore Airlines flight to Shanghai that dream became an amazing reality. On the way back from Singapore to Shanghai I flew in […]

]]>I just landed but I am still dreaming! A double bed, champagne, it’s what flying looks like in your wildest dreams when you are napping in a tiny economy seat. But on my Singapore Airlines flight to Shanghai that dream became an amazing reality.

On the way back from Singapore to Shanghai I flew in the new Singapore Airlines double First Class suites. Before we start I just want to say that this flight was not sponsored. All my positive comments are genuine and are mainly thanks to the awesome crew, they turned my flight into an unforgettable luxury experience with outstanding service.

Dom, Krug or both?

“Good morning Sir and welcome onboard Singapore Airlines!”. A smiling crew member accompanies me to my suite and even stores my carry on luggage for me. And it’s not only the crew who is smiling. I am relieved and super excited to see that I booked the correct new First Class suite. It’s a dream come true and it all starts with the famous and pleasant First Class “PLOP” sound. A bottle of delicious Krug champagne is opened. In true butler style I am offered a top notch glass of rising bubbles.

Choosing whether to drink Krug or Dom Perignon before take off is one of the First World problems I have to deal with here. But later in the flight the onboard sommelier offers to organize a Krug versus Dom tasting for me. “Problem” solved, lol this sounds so over the top but I just want to share how epic the whole experience is.

Hello Sir, would like another glass of Champagne?

Me: “Why not? Thank you so much.” I love this First Class life.

A double bed in the sky

Yes it really is as incredible as it sounds! When I am sandwiched in economy I always dream of a bed. But now I am chilling here with a glass of Krug in a giant double bed. Lol I must be taking up space of like 12 or more economy seats in this double suite. A double bed at 30.000 feet, this was beyond my wildest dreams.

Whenever you want to take a rest the crew will make your bed. They even added 2 cute teddy bears, a special edition for the new dreamliner airplane delivery.

Dude I think this suite was bigger than my hotel room in Singapore.

Would you like some caviar Sir?

While I am holding a glass of Krug or Dom, can’t remember exactly which one, I browse through the a la carte menu. It’s dine on demand here in First Class. It’s like going to a fancy restaurant but with a VIP service. It amazes me how good the food tastes as there is no real kitchen on board. The selection is refined and it all tastes delicious (meals are designed by a Michelin starred chef on the ground). There is a lot of attention for the presentation as well. I’m not sure what to take but the crew is very helpful to recommend a few dishes from the long list.

Oh that was delicious and perfect to digest all the appetizers. A short while later this amazing chicken dish is served.

No worries, it’s not over yet! What about some dessert?

That’s it, …. just kidding, it’s time for some cheese now with a nice glass of Port wine

After all this amazing food I am offered to enjoy some healthy bites from a fruit basket.

Would you like to try some more wine Sir?

Well, that sounds great! The drinks here are really high quality so I don’t worry about a headache tomorrow.

Choices so many choices and I am not really a sommelier. I am the kind of person who knows the wine is good after I taste it. Luckily Singapore Airlines has their own certified on board sommeliers and even the rest of the crew knows their wines! So after the Dom vs Krug moment I get to learn something about wine today

And it’s almost like the crew can tell that I like this specific wine. They pass by with a big smile and ask “Would you like another glass Sir?”.

We would like to offer you some pralines with that Champagne Sir

I am truly enjoying this 5 hours of exceptional service. Finding the right words to describe this outstanding level of server is hard, it’s out of this world, heavenly comes close. After all the food the crew offers me some pralines and another glass of taste bud teasing champagne.

Bang & Olufsen headphones for your First Class listening pleasure

A little bit more about the hard product now. I am one of the first passengers to enjoy the new Bang & Olufsen headphones in First Class. Noise canceling and superb audio quality. It’s just perfect to watch a movie or dance a bit in your suite. Everything is top notch in the front of the cabin.

I present you the turning seat

The seat next to your bed can turn so you can enjoy dinner or watch TV or stretch completely. And there is always the bed next to your seat if you want to get some sleep off course. One thing that is a bit awkward is that when your seat is turned to enjoy the food, you slightly face the person in the opposite suite if both of your doors are open.

I think the teddy bear got a bit tired

Kudos to the Singapore Airlines crew they are amazing

Singapore Airlines has won world’s best crew award and that is well deserved. Every single crew member on my flight was so friendly and professional at the same time. They made me feel at home right away. I can’t stress enough how important the crew is. Highly skilled crew really make the difference, they turn a flight into an unforgettable experience. There is nothing they could have done better on my flight. The service was incredible. Always someone checking if I needed anything without disturbing me. The level of personal attention in the service is something I have not seen in any fancy restaurant or hotel. It’s just nice to be pampered by a crew who genuinely smile and really seem to enjoy their job. There was a pleasant atmosphere the whole time and the crew came over a few times to have a chat and made me feel totally relaxed and comfortable. I was really treated like a VVVIP from take off to landing.

Say thank you to the crew

Again this flight was not sponsored but I think it does not hurt to say a simple “thank you” to the crew and smile. It doesn’t matter if you are flying economy business or first, just saying these simple 2 words to the crew who are doing a crazy job at 30.000 feet does not hurt

The Private Dining room

I was so excited to share this flight experience with you guys that I forgot to mention the First Class lounge in Singapore. There is a Private Dining room with an a la carte menu. As you can see I was treated like a king from take off to landing

How did I book this flight?

Keep an eye on the blog if you want to know how I booked this incredible First Class flight. Next time will tell you how to book it and how to find the correct airplanes so you don’t end up in the old First Class

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/you-want-to-fly-in-this-luxurious-double-bed-first-class-suite-to-shanghai-on-singapore-airlines/feed/0I Went to a Buddhist Theme Park in Wuxi Chinahttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/i-went-to-a-buddhist-theme-park-in-wuxi-china/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/i-went-to-a-buddhist-theme-park-in-wuxi-china/#commentsSun, 02 Sep 2018 10:11:21 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2313Try something new every day! Well I went to a Buddhist theme park in Wuxi. Easy to reach from Shanghai by bullet train. Take Disneyland, replace roller coasters, Micky Mouse and the parade with Buddhist temples, statutes and shows. Welcome to Lingshan Grand Buddha Scenic Area. There are only vegetarian restaurants inside the park, however […]

]]>Try something new every day! Well I went to a Buddhist theme park in Wuxi. Easy to reach from Shanghai by bullet train.

Take Disneyland, replace roller coasters, Micky Mouse and the parade with Buddhist temples, statutes and shows. Welcome to Lingshan Grand Buddha Scenic Area. There are only vegetarian restaurants inside the park, however just outside there is a meat souvenir shop the size of an airport’s duty free. It was a very intriguing, educational and fun day out. Read on for price details and how to get here.

The main attraction is a the 88-meter-high Lingshan Grand Buddha, that’s 42 meters higher than the Statue of Liberty.

You will get an idea of how tall this statue is once you reach Buddha’s feet, which you can touch for good luck.

Make sure to turn around to get a magnificent view of the surroundings. As you can see the park is massive and you can pay a small fee to be taken around in a golf cart.

On your journey through the park you will see various Buddhist temples and statutes. Below you can see 100 children play on Buddha’s huge body to test his patience.

One of the attractions that WOW-ed me was the Brahma Palace. It looked like a super fancy shangri-la or anantara resort. All the decoration inside is simply jaw dropping.

On the second floor there is another impressive attraction, a 1,500 seats planetarium shaped theater. Don’t leave without attending a show here, it’s included in your ticket. The vegetarian restaurant on the third floor is pretty good as well.

Can’t get enough? Don’t worry there are more temples to be discovered!

What I like about this park is that it’s a fun, entertaining way to learn more about Buddhism. This is just a glimpse of one of the most interesting theme parks you will visit. Now it’s up to you to discover all the other attractions

What does it cost?

Entrance fee to Lingshan Grand Buddha Scenic Area is 210 RMB for adults. For more details: scroll to the bottom of this website.

How to get there?

Take a bullet train from Shanghai to Wuxi and then a taxi (taxi fare is around 100 RMB).
Name of the park: (simplified Chinese: 灵山大佛; traditional Chinese: 靈山大佛)

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/i-went-to-a-buddhist-theme-park-in-wuxi-china/feed/4Zhujiajiao The Wonderful Water Town That Can Be Reached By Metro From Shanghaihttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/zhujiajiao-the-wonderful-water-town-that-can-be-reached-by-metro-from-shanghai/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/zhujiajiao-the-wonderful-water-town-that-can-be-reached-by-metro-from-shanghai/#commentsThu, 23 Aug 2018 13:04:48 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2300The sun sets over a maze of little canals and bridges in Zhujiajiao, a cute little water town just a 90 minute metro trip from Shanghai! Go there around sunset to see the sky turn orange above the canals, it’s just marvelous. And try some of the local snacks. I dare you! Wander in the […]

]]>The sun sets over a maze of little canals and bridges in Zhujiajiao, a cute little water town just a 90 minute metro trip from Shanghai!

Go there around sunset to see the sky turn orange above the canals, it’s just marvelous.

And try some of the local snacks. I dare you!

Wander in the little streets and cross one of the 36 bridges.

Check out one of the many sights like Fangsheng Bridge, Kezhi Garden and the Yuanjin Buddhist Temple.

There is always some time left for shopping or sipping tea.

How to get there?

You can take line 17 to Zhujiajiao station. From Shanghai you can connect to line 17 via Hongqiao Railway Station which connects to line 2 and 10. Just use the MetroMan app iphone / android to find your way. Below an example on how to get to Zhujiajiao from Jing’an Temple.

It will take you about an hour and 20 minutes to reach Zhujiajiao and then you have to walk 15 minutes from the station to the watertown. Just follow the arrows and the other tourist

Enjoy your day out in this lovely water town and let me know how you liked it!

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/zhujiajiao-the-wonderful-water-town-that-can-be-reached-by-metro-from-shanghai/feed/1Can you drink alcohol on your flight to Dubai?http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/can-you-drink-alcohol-on-your-flight-to-dubai/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/can-you-drink-alcohol-on-your-flight-to-dubai/#commentsMon, 13 Aug 2018 15:03:26 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2294A few days ago a story about a woman who was jailed in Dubai for “having a glass of wine on her flight” went viral. So many people are wondering if they can drink alcohol on their flight to the middle east. First of all there is more to the story than the sensational headline. […]

]]>A few days ago a story about a woman who was jailed in Dubai for “having a glass of wine on her flight” went viral. So many people are wondering if they can drink alcohol on their flight to the middle east.

First of all there is more to the story than the sensational headline. After living in Dubai for 4 years I can tell you that it is completely fine to drink on your flight to Dubai. It’s even perfectly fine to drink alcohol in loads of licensed bars, rooftops, restaurants & clubs in Dubai & Abu Dhabi. Something was wrong with the woman’s visa and she did not really behave in a respectful way towards the immigration officer, she even started filming him which is illegal in most countries around the world.

Again yes you can enjoy a glass of wine on your flight to Dubai or Abu Dhabi and it does not matter which airline you fly. Even the 2 UAE based airlines, Emirates and Etihad, serve alcohol.

Wagyu beef, wine and champagne at 40.000 feet

The crew would not serve you alcohol if it was not allowed. There are however some dry airlines in the Middle East like Kuwait Airways and Saudi Arabian Airlines, they simply don’t serve alcohol onboard.

Again it’s completely fine to sip some wine when flying to Dubai. If you fly Emirates on the a380 there is even an onboard bar! Champagne anyone?

There are however a few things that can be learned from the woman who had visa issues, started arguing and filmed the immigration officer.

Don’t pick a fight with an immigration officer anywhere

I think that’s just common sense. The officer decides whether you can enter the country or not so what do you think is going to happen when you start arguing? Being disrespectful to an immigration officer is going to get you in trouble in every country.

Don’t act like a drunk fool in any airport

Again common sense, there is no country in the world that will happily let you in if you are annoyingly drunk, arrogant and disrespectful. Enjoy your drinks at 30.000 feet but know your limits.

Enjoy a drink in W Dubai (Starwoods hotel)

Do not film the immigration area in any airport

It’s illegal to take pictures or film the immigration area in airports allover the world. And also be aware that filming anyone without consent in Dubai is not a joke! Even though Dubai Police has a special app for residents to film crimes “We Are All Police”. But its strictly forbidden to make videos of other people and post them online without consent. Again use common sense … Instagram and Facebook are full of videos uploaded in Dubai and it’s fine but don’t look for troubles.

Enjoy #DubaiLife on a budget

Check your visa before traveling anywhere

Make sure your visa and passport are valid before you travel. And if there seems to be an issue then collaborate with the immigration officers. As I travel quite a bit I had my part of interesting visa experiences. One time someone even told me my passport was not valid for 6 months anymore, turned out she only looked at the month and not the year. Well I smiled and gently pointed that out, she smiled back and everything was fine. One time I was interrogated in Bahrain because I left the address where I was staying empty on the visa arrival form. I stayed with a friend and didn’t know the address. Even after telling that my friend was going to text me the address I was guided to an interrogation room and in the end charged with the most expensive visa. Well I should have asked the address before I arrived and fill it in, it was my mistake so I just payed for the more expensive visa and everything was fine.

Another time I positioned from Dubai to Sri Lanka to start a dirt cheap business class fare to Kuala Lumpur. I packed light and only took a small carry on suitcase. But at the checkin counter at Dubai they told me that the bag was just a little bit too heavy. So my carry on bag now had to be checked in. Which meant that after arriving in Sri Lanka I had to enter the country to pickup my suitcase to then enter the airport again for the next part of my flight. My original plan was just to travel with carry on so I could stay air side in the airport in Sri Lanka and just walk to the next gate. The problem was that I did not apply for the visa online which I need to enter Sri Lanka. Once I arrived I explained the whole situation, calm and friendly. The officers understood the problem and gave me a free entry visa on the spot. Maybe I was lucky but in any case being nice and friendly is going to be more helpful than making drama and filming the officials.

Be respectful

A lot of people are just so used that they get away with everything in their own country and take that arrogance with them when they visit other countries. Traveling means adjusting to a new culture and different rules. Yes the rules are strict in Dubai but that’s also why it’s one of the safest places to live on earth. And remember that Islam is the official religion of the United Arab Emirates but as a non Muslim you are allowed to drink alcohol and eat pork in specific places.

Traveling to a country does not mean you have to agree with everything. But at least be respectful.

Consume alcohol in bars or airport lounges but not on the street

In Dubai you can only drink inside one of the many many bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants and rooftops. Taking your drinks on the street is not allowed. But no worries, the security will make sure that does not happen.

And even in the airport lounges there is alcohol, lots of it.

Etihad’s First Class Lounge

Welcome to Dubai, enjoy your stay!

As you have seen in this post, it’s completely fine to drink on your flight to Dubai and in the city itself. Cheers, welcome to Dubai!

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/can-you-drink-alcohol-on-your-flight-to-dubai/feed/2An Interesting Review Of Spring Airlineshttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/an-interesting-review-of-spring-airlines/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/an-interesting-review-of-spring-airlines/#respondSat, 11 Aug 2018 10:07:34 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2276A few weeks ago I flew from Shanghai to Harbin with Spring Airlines. Let’s have a closer look at the crazy promo fares and the interesting things I noticed while flying China’s first and North Asia’s largest low fare airline. Inflight exercises with the crew One thing I liked about Spring Airlines is that the […]

]]>A few weeks ago I flew from Shanghai to Harbin with Spring Airlines. Let’s have a closer look at the crazy promo fares and the interesting things I noticed while flying China’s first and North Asia’s largest low fare airline.

Inflight exercises with the crew

One thing I liked about Spring Airlines is that the crew shows some in flight exercises and invite all the passengers to join. Below you can see a facial massage technique.

This is how much legroom I had

As a tall guy I did not have much leg room, my knees touched the seat in front of me. For a short flight it’s fine but if you take flights over 3 hours then it will be a struggle.

Shopping mall with delivery at 30.000 feet

A lot of low cost airlines sell sandwiches, drinks and some cosmetic products and watches. But Spring Airlines has a whole shopping mall, you can buy pots, pans, cleaning products, pretty much everything you can find in a real mall. Don’t worry about carrying all that stuff, your goods can be delivered to your home or hotel while you go sightseeing.

I am not entirely sure what the facial fitness device is but it might be a bestseller!

If you need a new tea pot then you are covered as well.

The food pictures are for illustration purpose only

Feeling hungry, why not order some beef curry rice? It’s quite fair from Spring Airlines to mention that the items on the menu might be slightly more like boxes of food rather than nicely presented dishes on the pictures.

Wave at the teddy bear on the luggage belt

To remind passengers to only take their own baggage there is a teddy bear holding a friendly message.

I have never seen other airlines do it but I guess it makes sense. Even when you leave the luggage belt in most airports in China there will be someone checking the baggage sticker and compare it to the label attached to your ticket, so do not throw it!

14.8 USD promo fare to Bangkok

The prices on the Spring Airlines home page look crazy cheap. Just 14.8 USD for a flight from Shanghai to Bangkok (4h 30min). And I have heard they sometimes even offer much lower prices!

And I can even find a promo fare after a few clicks in the calendar. Which is very positive, a lot of airlines publish fares but then it’s impossible to find it. Just note that the price is one way.

Once I clicked through the tax is added, auwch My 14 USD ticket just jumped to 99 USD, which is still super cheap, let’s be honest but it is a bit disappointing after seeing 14 USD. Keep in mind you can only take 5 – 7 kg carry on luggage for free and there is no food / drink included in this price.

If you are just focused on budget then go for Spring. But if you want free checked baggage, food, drinks and more legroom then Thai airways will be a better option.

]]>http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/an-interesting-review-of-spring-airlines/feed/01933 Slaughterhouse in Shanghai is a hipsters photography paradisehttp://gingeraroundtheworld.com/1933-slaughterhouse-in-shanghai-is-a-hipster-photography-paradise/
http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/1933-slaughterhouse-in-shanghai-is-a-hipster-photography-paradise/#commentsSun, 22 Jul 2018 09:19:38 +0000http://gingeraroundtheworld.com/?p=2255There are so many tourist attractions in Shanghai that you might miss some cool hidden gems like the 1933 Slaughterhouse! It’s located near Hailun Rd Station (metro Line 4 & 10) and entrance to this photography paradise is free 🙂 And it’s not just the slaughterhouse itself that’s worth a visit. After arriving at Hailun Rd […]

]]>There are so many tourist attractions in Shanghai that you might miss some cool hidden gems like the 1933 Slaughterhouse! It’s located near Hailun Rd Station (metro Line 4 & 10) and entrance to this photography paradise is free

And it’s not just the slaughterhouse itself that’s worth a visit. After arriving at Hailun Rd Station, you will be treated on some cool views of the pearl oriental tower while you are wandering through historic streets. This is the wonderful thing about Shanghai for me, it’s a cocktail of old and new and you will probably enjoy every sip!

After a 10 minute walk by the canals you will reach the slaughterhouse that was built in 1933. It ss a fascinating building, you feel like you are getting lost in one of Eshers’ drawings.This is not just a creative masterpiece. The different sized “bridges” directed the animals to their final destination. Windows were faced to the West where the wind could help to reduce the smell. The Buddhist holy land is also facing West and this would help for the animal’s reincarnation.

Today you can enjoy this maze, filled with trendy coffee shops, art galleries, creative office spaces and sadly even a Starbucks. Oh there is a dog cafe (Canil) as well, no not to eat them just a place where you can play with dogs while having a drink.

You can easily enjoy a few hours of getting lost and taking pictures. Just take a moment and try to imagine the scene here in 1933, 130 tons of cattle turned into meat.

On your way out I suggest you follow some of the canals to get some more views of Pudong.